The Tobacco Wives
A Novel
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3.9 • 160 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Most anticipated by USA Today, W Magazine, New York Post, Parade, Bustle, Buzzfeed, Reader's Digest, and PopSugar and named one of the best historical fiction books of the year by Cosmopolitan!
"A beautifully rendered portrait of a young woman finding her courage and her voice."—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author
North Carolina, 1946. One woman. A discovery that could rewrite history.
Maddie Sykes is a burgeoning seamstress who’s just arrived in Bright Leaf, North Carolina—the tobacco capital of the South—where her aunt has a thriving sewing business. After years of war rations and shortages, Bright Leaf is a prosperous wonderland in full technicolor bloom, and Maddie is dazzled by the bustle of the crisply uniformed female factory workers, the palatial homes, and, most of all, her aunt’s glossiest clientele: the wives of the powerful tobacco executives.
But she soon learns that Bright Leaf isn’t quite the carefree paradise that it seems. A trail of misfortune follows many of the women, including substantial health problems, and although Maddie is quick to believe that this is a coincidence, she inadvertently uncovers evidence that suggests otherwise.
Maddie wants to report what she knows, but in a town where everyone depends on Big Tobacco to survive, she doesn’t know who she can trust—and fears that exposing the truth may destroy the lives of the proud, strong women with whom she has forged strong bonds.
Shedding light on the hidden history of women’s activism during the post-war period, at its heart, The Tobacco Wives is a deeply human, emotionally satisfying, and dramatic novel about the power of female connection and the importance of seeking truth.
“This is a story of courage, of women willing to take a stand in the face of corporate greed, and most definitely a tale for our times.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this excellent historical fiction debut, teenager Maddie Sykes tries to find her place in the world. Maddie’s job helping her aunt sew opulent gowns for the wives of tobacco executives in Bright Leaf, North Carolina, has led her to a fantastic new level of success as the community’s main dressmaker. On the surface, the cigarette-powered industry town seems happy and prosperous. But after discovering a startling letter, Maddie is left wrestling with how to help Bright Leaf’s women, who are being treated very unfairly. Adele Myers’ novel may be set in 1946, but the issues of workers’ rights and women’s rights are just as pressing today. We loved the gorgeous descriptions of fashion, decor, and parties, but we loved the book’s heartfelt message even more. The Tobacco Wives is an enthralling debut about finding the courage to speak the truth.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Myers makes a sparkling debut with a coming-of-age tale about the limited opportunities available to the women of a tobacco town. In the spring of 1947, 15-year-old Maddie Sykes assists her seamstress aunt in Bright Leaf, N.C. When Etta is hospitalized with the measles, Maddie takes over Etta's client list, sewing gowns for the wives of the top tobacco executives. Mitzy Winston, Etta's most valued customer and wife of Richard Winston, the president of Bright Leaf Tobacco, takes a maternal interest in Maddie and invites her to live in the Winston home. The teen's initial enchantment with the town—its seemingly happy workers and uniform prosperity—is dashed when she stumbles on a confidential letter in Richard's study from a doctor who helped create Bright Leaf's new MOMints cigarettes, marketed for women, which reveals cigarettes are harmful to pregnant women and infants. Maddie then finds out about a cover-up and begins to recognize that the women around her are being unfairly treated, from factory and field workers to the executives' wives, whose contributions to the businesses go unpaid, and she considers blowing the whistle about the letter. The ending comes a bit too abruptly, but the fabulous fashion descriptions and Maddie's unwavering determination more than make up for it. Historical fiction fans will be pleased.
Customer Reviews
Entertaining read but unsatisfying elements
This was a fun book with a fascinating history, and kept me hooked. I’m from NC and loved that the author delved into the interesting history of tobacco in the state. That said, there was really heavy exposition in every scene (especially as part of the dialogue), and the narrator Maddie and many other characters felt too perfect. So there were times that the story felt unrealistic and forced and definitely took me out, to the point that I was conscious that I was reading a piece of fiction instead of a plausible historical fiction story. Overall I would recommend reading this book even though I felt it was unsatisfying in some ways. I will say I appreciated that the ending wasn’t a “happy” one and did find it realistic in terms of how the sequence of events might have played out had they happened in real life.
Just okay
Good topic but I agree with others who commented that this was not the best writing I’ve read. Meh….
Tobacco Wives
Good book for debut novel. Loved the concept. Rushed plot in the last 1/3 of the book.. well worth the read.